


Come Down, Thanatos

by amelioratory



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Original Work
Genre: Based On A Writing Prompt, Based on a Tumblr Post, Bittersweet Ending, F/M, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Inspired by Thanatos and Makaria, My First AO3 Post, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Romance between Gods, Short Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:47:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29978970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amelioratory/pseuds/amelioratory
Summary: “Goodbye, my love. Remember, death is a blessing, our blessing. This isn't goodbye for forever, you know. I love you.”
Relationships: Thanatos/Makaria
Comments: 3
Kudos: 2





	Come Down, Thanatos

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is just a short story I wrote for an English class. I decided to post it on here to get some criticism and to try and improve my work. This is based on a writing prompt from tumblr, so I'm sorry that I don't know who to give credit to. I also took the characters Thanatos (the Greek god of death), Nyx, Erebus, and Makaria (Greek goddess of Blessed Death) from greek mythology. This is my first story, so please give me actual criticism and not hate please! Also, if I messed up and wrote/posted/said something I shouldn't have, please tell me so I can try to fix it! I don't want to hurt or offend anyone. Thanks!  
> Also this isn't exactly how it looks like, the formatting got a bit messed up, so ignore that.

When they came in holding that brown, whimpering dog, I knew something bad was going to happen. I looked into that poor dog’s eyes and saw the pain he was going through. I started examining him and found that he had canine leukemia. I examine him further and find that it is terminal. I give him pain medication, but that's all I can do. I hesitate for a second, trying to prepare myself to tell the poor dog’s family the news. I go out to talk to the family, only to find a little girl with black hair in a red dress sitting alone, holding the dog’s collar. Shrugging it off, I go and talk to the little girl, prepared to explain what was going on.  
“Hi, I’m Dr. MacArthy. While you’re waiting for your family, I want to talk to you,” I say, hoping to lighten the load on her, “What’s your name?”  
“I am Amara. How is he?” She asks, voice soft and sad.  
“Well, he is in a lot of pain. I’ve given him something to help him with it, but he is still in quite a bit of pain. It looks like he has a type of disease making him so sick.” I respond, trying to simplify my words for her.  
Amara looked up at me, sniffing softly. “Can you make him stop hurting? Can you make him go to sleep and not wake up? I don’t want him to be in pain anymore.”  
I shivered a little, wondering how this girl, who couldn’t be more than 6 years old, was asking me about putting down the dog. I shook it off and told her, “Yes, and that would probably be his best option. It is a good idea to give him a break and let him rest. This is the circle of life. He stayed with you as long as he could, because he loved you. This is for the best and he will always remember you as his best friend.” I’m trying to comfort her as best as possible.  
“I know, thank you. Can I hold him while he leaves?” She asks, voice breaking with tears running down her face. I nod and lead her back to him.  
She picks up the dog lovingly in her arms and waits for me to get the syringe ready. I place my free hand on her shoulder and slowly push the muscle relaxant into the dog. The dog slowly stops whimpering, his body going limp as he was finally getting the rest he deserved.  
“You made the right decision. He was struggling and this was the best way to stop his agony.” I say, wrapping my arms around the sobbing girl.  
Abruptly, the little girl stops crying, looks up at me, and says, “I knew you were the one.”  
As soon as I start processing her words, I feel the whirring of strong winds rolling around me, with black fog rising to surround me. The strong smell of burning fire takes over my sense of smell. Despite not knowing what is going on, I feel a calm take over my body, along with a sense of belonging. When my eyes open, I find myself in a black hooded cloak, holding a bouquet of black rotting poppies. The cloak was silky, flowing over my shoulders and down to my ankles. I look like the grim reaper from those stories my mother, Nyx, told me about when I was a kid. She always did have the best of hopes for me.  
“Ah, Thanatos, you are awake, I was wondering when you would be pulled out of the mortal world. It seems like Amara was successful. I shall reward her for finding you,” A deep voice said. I look around for the source of the voice and see a figure made of the void. My brain supplies me with the being’s name, Erebus, my father.  
Instinctively, I bow to him, and greet him, “Hello father. If I may ask, why was I living as a “Dr. MacArthy” and how long have I been gone?”  
“It was a test. I had to make sure you were fit for your job. You know you aren’t the only god of death. You were only down there for about 35 years, that’s nothing for us.” Father said, voice booming with superiority.  
“Of course, Father. May I know if I passed your test?” I asked, trying to cover up my fury. Questions flowed through my head, wondering if Makaria was still okay. Does she still love me just as strong? She is my merciful counterpart, the light with my dark. I still love her, in the same way I loved her before my dear father’s test, as strong as Poseidon’s sea, as unstoppable as Zeus’s fury, as consuming as Ero’s spell, or as passionate as Aphrodite’s love.  
“Of course you passed. I had no doubt, you have always been the best, my son.” Erebus said, seemingly not aware of my grief or anger.  
I feel my rage come to a peak and in a booming voice, I challenge my father, asking, “Then why was the test necessary? Why have you torn me away from my love? Has anyone been looking after Makaria?” I know it is a dangerous thing to do, challenging a superior god, especially my father, but it is an unspoken rule to never unnecessarily part true love, even if it was only for 35 years.  
“Fear not, Thanatos, your dear Makaria is safe and happy. She knows you have not abandoned her and you are still her most beloved. Since I had taken you away from your true love, I will not punish you for your outburst. I am pleased to say that I visited your mother, and Nyx and I have decided to officially bless you, and we permit you to give her your name,” My father said kindly, smiling kindly down at me.  
I bow deeply in front of my father, thanking him for this opportunity. Erebus shows me to my room and I see Makaria sitting on our bed, waiting for me with a smile on her face. Her white-blonde hair and deep gray eyes sparking memories within me. The feeling of warmness spread within me just looking at her. I rush towards her, excited to see her, feel her, love her, but before I can get there, I notice something.  
One of the abilities that I require for my job is sensing how close a being is to death. Usually, when I am around Makaria, I smell fresh rain pouring from the sky and newly sprouted poppies, and feel a cool breeze blowing on me, refreshing and comforting me, but now, I smell rotting flowers and I feel the static in the air. I pause in front of Makaria, taking in her beautiful face and I start crying.  
“I know, my dear. I know. It is time for me to finally take my place in Elysium,” Makaria smiles sadly, eyes watering, trying to hold herself together.  
“Oh, my dear Makaria. I love you.” I whisper in her ear. I hold her face in my hands, committing the feeling of her soft, pale skin to memory. She looks up at me, smiling sadly.  
“I love you too, Thanatos. I know it’s time. It’s okay, this is for the best, it is inevitable. You can always come, to visit me, my love. You can visit me there, in Elysium. It is my palace, after all. Even though it’s time to take me away, you know our love is so sure that death can’t stop it. It’s time,” Makaria whispers back, holding me, running her hands through my dark hair while I cry.  
I take a deep breath and remove the most beautiful rotting poppy out of my bouquet, holding it gently and pressing my lips against it, hoping to give her a token of my love before I have to send her off. I press the delicate flower into her pale hand and close it before saying my final goodbye. I kiss her until I can’t breathe, trying to get more time to hold her, wanting to remember her for the rest of my life, for eternity. In my head, I know I can visit her when I’m transporting the blessed to Elysium, but in my heart, it feels like forever, like this is the last time I will see her, and my chest hurts.  
“Goodbye, my love. Remember, death is a blessing, our blessing. This isn't goodbye for forever, you know. I love you.”


End file.
